oil pan gasket and rod bearing replacement (N63)

[Djhumvee]

I have a 2017 x5 N63 with 90k on it. Upper pan gasket is leaking. Figured I'd change the rod bearings while the pan is off. Looks like they don't make ARP rod bolts?? Going to change the motor mounts while its all apart too. Anything else I should be looking at while this is tore down? Sophisticated Redneck maybe you can offer some input?

[Tomcat_F15_STL]

Why would risk messing with the rod bearings? Is the engine knocking?

[Djhumvee]

Originally Posted by Tomcat_F15_STL

Why would risk messing with the rod bearings? Is the engine knocking?

Because they're prone to failure on the N63's. Oil was only changed every 15k miles, don't want to risk spinning a bearing because the vehicle was neglected most of it's life.

[Tomcat_F15_STL]

Originally Posted by Djhumvee

Because they're prone to failure on the N63's. Oil was only changed every 15k miles, don't want to risk spinning a bearing because the vehicle was neglected most of it's life.

Those are good reasons.

Personally, I would send it down the road while it was in good running order. It is my understanding that it is a real crapshoot messing with the bearings on these BMWs. Maybe it's just the N55s I have read about self-inflicted destruction replacing bearings? I dunno. Might be a bigger risk than it seems.

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by Tomcat_F15_STL

Why would risk messing with the rod bearings? Is the engine knocking?

Right now there are 2 guys in the F85/86 sub with spun bearings, one at 40k Mile the other at 60k Mile. The third did his bearings at 60k Mile and they were basically done.

[Djhumvee]

Originally Posted by Chilled

Right now there are 2 guys in the F85/86 sub with spun bearings, one at 40k Mile the other at 60k Mile. The third did his bearings at 60k Mile and they were basically done.

That's exactly why I wanna replace since I gotta take the upper pan off anyway. Im unsure if what to do now, there's some talk of the tolerances being too tight at .001", ACL sells a larger bearing that gives a .002" clearance. most of my driving is less than 10 minute trips. So a lot of cold starts.

[tlow98]

Tough call, but I get it.

If it were me and the stock clearances made it 90k I’d stick with the stock clearances. Plastigauge each one as you go and send it if they are pretty uniform.

On the in-line sixes BMW normally specs .035mm - .055mm clearance. That .001” is about .025mm.

BMW factory clearance specs for the n63 b40/44 are between .025 and .070. Wider range than I’d expect. .002” is about .051mm. I normally average the figures and shoot for the middle. So, about .0475mm in this case.

Might wanna be two sets of bearings and install accordingly.

[Chilled]

The STD ACls is all you should need.

The lack of ARP bolts sucks, +BMW confusion on weather or not 3x repeat on the torque steps are needed, does not make the process fun. Current ISTA instruction and talking to mechanics, both agree that you don't need to do the torque sequence 3 times. Just once.

I do wonder, if there is a suitable bolt pattern from ARP that we can use in these. I member reading something like the m3 v8's were using the m5 V10's bolts, just trimmed.

[Djhumvee]

Originally Posted by Chilled

The STD ACls is all you should need.

The lack of ARP bolts sucks, +BMW confusion on weather or not 3x repeat on the torque steps are needed, does not make the process fun. Current ISTA instruction and talking to mechanics, both agree that you don't need to do the torque sequence 3 times. Just once.

I do wonder, if there is a suitable bolt pattern from ARP that we can use in these. I member reading something like the m3 v8's were using the m5 V10's bolts, just trimmed.

That's what I was wondering as well, how many different rod bolts could possibly be made? lol